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Attack win, lose in back-to-back games

The Attack's Aidan Dudas collides with London Knights' netminder Joseph Raaymakers after Raaymakers stopped a shot during Saturday night's Attack-Knights game at the Harry Lumley Bayshore Community Centre. DENIS LANGLOIS/THE SUN TIMES

October was a big month for Sean Durzi that culminated with the Owen Sound Attack player being named the Ontario Hockey League's defenceman of the month.

But while the 19-year-old Mississauga native says he's honoured by the individual accolade, his focus has always been on doing what he can to help his team excel.

“I was really just worrying about team success, playing hard in my own end, and then success will come out in the other end,” he said in an interview Saturday prior to the Attack's 4-1 loss to the London Knights at the Harry Lumley Bayshore Community Centre.

The loss came on the heels of a 5-4 shootout win Friday night on the road for the Attack over the Mississauga Steelheads. Durzi had a goal and an assist in that game.

Four days before Saturday's contest, the OHL announced that Durzi was one of its four league performers of the month for October.

He received the defenceman title after leading all rearguards with 20 points – seven goals and 13 assists in 11 games – and posting a plus/minus rating of plus-seven.

At the end of October, he was leading the OHL in assists with 17 and was third in the league in points with 25.

Durzi, who played his 121st regular season OHL game Saturday, said his strategy this season has been to keep his game simple.

“And really having faith in everyone to do their jobs. If you have a good power-play rolling and everyone's moving the puck well, the points are going to come,” he said.

Head coach Todd Gill said Durzi is a special player for the Attack who has been good for the team when they're playing five-on-five and on a power-play.

“Offensively, he's very creative, has great offensive instincts and he's a great passer, great shooter with the puck. If you add those all those together, it makes for a pretty dangerous player on the ice,” he said.

Saturday's game saw scoreless first and second periods. The Attack was first to get on the scoreboard with a goal by Aidan Dudas two minutes and 22 seconds into the third frame.

The London Knights tied the game with a Max Jones goal at the 8:40-mark. The Knights then scored another two goals – one by Robert Thomas and another by Jones – within about four minutes of their first to pull ahead 3-1. Sam Miletic scored into an empty Attack net at the 18:48 mark.

Joseph Raaymakers earned the win in the Knights' net after stopping 24 shots. The Attack's Zack Bowman took the loss after making 23 saves.

Gill, in a post-game interview, said the Knights outplayed the Attack in all aspects of the game and it was a contest the Attack deserved to lose.

“We had a fairly strong game in Mississauga and I'm not sure what happened tonight. The other team outplayed us and that's the bottom line,” he said.

In Friday's game, the Attack and Steelheads were deadlocked 0-0 after the first period. Kevin Hancock scored back-to-back goals for the Attack in the second before Dudas netted a single to make it 3-0.

Albert Michnac and Nicolas Hague both scored for the Steelheads later in the second. Michnac then scored twice in the third to put the Steelheads up 4-3. Durzi scored with less than a minute left in the frame to force overtime.

Nick Suzuki and Maksim Sushko both scored for the Attack in the shootout. Nicolas Hague was the lone Steelheads player to score in the shootout.

Bowman earned the win in net for the Attack after stopping 30 shots. Jacob Ingham took the loss after making 41 saves.

The Owen Sound Attack is next in action Nov. 11 when the Sudbury Wolves visit the Lumley-Bayshore for a 7:30 p.m. game.

October was a big month for Sean Durzi that culminated with the Owen Sound Attack player being named the Ontario Hockey League's defenceman of the month.

But while the 19-year-old Mississauga native says he's honoured by the individual accolade, his focus has always been on doing what he can to help his team excel.

“I was really just worrying about team success, playing hard in my own end, and then success will come out in the other end,” he said in an interview Saturday prior to the Attack's 4-1 loss to the London Knights at the Harry Lumley Bayshore Community Centre.

The loss came on the heels of a 5-4 shootout win Friday night on the road for the Attack over the Mississauga Steelheads. Durzi had a goal and an assist in that game.

Four days before Saturday's contest, the OHL announced that Durzi was one of its four league performers of the month for October.

He received the defenceman title after leading all rearguards with 20 points – seven goals and 13 assists in 11 games – and posting a plus/minus rating of plus-seven.

At the end of October, he was leading the OHL in assists with 17 and was third in the league in points with 25.

Durzi, who played his 121st regular season OHL game Saturday, said his strategy this season has been to keep his game simple.

“And really having faith in everyone to do their jobs. If you have a good power-play rolling and everyone's moving the puck well, the points are going to come,” he said.

Head coach Todd Gill said Durzi is a special player for the Attack who has been good for the team when they're playing five-on-five and on a power-play.

“Offensively, he's very creative, has great offensive instincts and he's a great passer, great shooter with the puck. If you add those all those together, it makes for a pretty dangerous player on the ice,” he said.

Saturday's game saw scoreless first and second periods. The Attack was first to get on the scoreboard with a goal by Aidan Dudas two minutes and 22 seconds into the third frame.

The London Knights tied the game with a Max Jones goal at the 8:40-mark. The Knights then scored another two goals – one by Robert Thomas and another by Jones – within about four minutes of their first to pull ahead 3-1. Sam Miletic scored into an empty Attack net at the 18:48 mark.

Joseph Raaymakers earned the win in the Knights' net after stopping 24 shots. The Attack's Zack Bowman took the loss after making 23 saves.

Gill, in a post-game interview, said the Knights outplayed the Attack in all aspects of the game and it was a contest the Attack deserved to lose.

“We had a fairly strong game in Mississauga and I'm not sure what happened tonight. The other team outplayed us and that's the bottom line,” he said.

In Friday's game, the Attack and Steelheads were deadlocked 0-0 after the first period. Kevin Hancock scored back-to-back goals for the Attack in the second before Dudas netted a single to make it 3-0.

Albert Michnac and Nicolas Hague both scored for the Steelheads later in the second. Michnac then scored twice in the third to put the Steelheads up 4-3. Durzi scored with less than a minute left in the frame to force overtime.

Nick Suzuki and Maksim Sushko both scored for the Attack in the shootout. Nicolas Hague was the lone Steelheads player to score in the shootout.

Bowman earned the win in net for the Attack after stopping 30 shots. Jacob Ingham took the loss after making 41 saves.

The Owen Sound Attack is next in action Nov. 11 when the Sudbury Wolves visit the Lumley-Bayshore for a 7:30 p.m. game.